The women-only members’ club AllBright, founded to support women in their careers, has entered administration and will close its doors amid financial struggles.
AllBright, a women-only members’ club located in Mayfair, London, has entered administration, resulting in the imminent closure of its premises. Founded in 2017 by Debbie Wosskow, co-chair of the Invest in Women Taskforce, and Anna Jones, chief executive of Telegraph Media Group, the club was established to create networking and events opportunities specifically for women. The Mayfair townhouse was launched in 2019, aiming to foster a supportive environment for women to share advice and enhance their careers through coaching, funding, and masterclasses.
With rising rents and the expansive nature of the building coupled with its high-profile location, the club has deemed its operational model unsustainable. According to an internal email seen by The Guardian, there has been a noted decline in the use of social and dining facilities, despite ongoing demand for events and educational programming.
Viviane Paxinos, a former media executive, stepped in as CEO in 2023, while Wosskow and Jones remained involved as non-executive directors. However, the financial struggles became evident, with AllBright reporting a substantial pre-tax loss of £6 million for the year ending March 2022, as documented by Companies House.
In her statement on LinkedIn, co-founder Debbie Wosskow expressed her sorrow over the closure, sharing reflections on the journey of building AllBright. “We had amazing times running that business – highs, lows and everything in between,” she acknowledged. Wosskow reminisced about the societal context in which the venture was born, highlighting the shifts in feminism and diversity initiatives over the past several years. “2017 was a very different time – feminism was in a different place – post Me Too and the first era of Trump,” she elaborated, drawing parallels with similar female-focused establishments in the US, such as The Wing and Chief.
Despite the closure, Wosskow conveyed hopes for the future of AllBright’s community, stating, “We hope that the amazing AllBright members continue to find inspirational spaces in which to come together in the future.”
Source: Noah Wire Services
Image: AllBright
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative mentions recent events, such as Viviane Paxinos stepping in as CEO in 2023 and the club’s financial struggles, indicating that the information is current. However, it references financial data from 2022, which is slightly outdated.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The quote from Debbie Wosskow is sourced from her LinkedIn statement, but there is no indication of when exactly it was posted. It appears to be a recent reflection on the closure of AllBright.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative originates from City AM, a reputable financial news outlet. It also references The Guardian and Companies House, which are reliable sources.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about AllBright’s financial struggles and closure are plausible given the context of rising rents and declining use of facilities. The narrative aligns with common challenges faced by businesses in high-profile locations.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative appears to be current and well-supported by reliable sources. The quotes and financial data are plausible and consistent with the challenges faced by businesses in similar circumstances.